BS 6323 : Part 5 : 1982

Seamless and welded steel tubes for automobile, mechanical and general engineering purposes
Part 5. Specic requirements for electric reistance welded and induction welded steel tubes

Tolerances
Outside diameter of circular tubes
The tolerance on the outside diameter of circular tubes
shall be as given in columns 1,2 or 3 or table 1,
dependent on delivery condition and D/a ratio as fol-
lows :
(a) Column 1
(1) tubes in the as-welded condition with D/a
ratio < 40:1;
(2) tubes in the annealed or normalized condition
with D/a ratio < 20:1;
(b) Column 2, tubes in the annealed or normalized
condition with D/a ratio >20:1 and <40:1;
(c) Column 3, tubes of all delivery conditions with
D/a ratio >40:1;
The tolerance on outside diameter includes ovality.
Thickness.
The tolerance on thickness, including eccentricity but
excluding the weld, shall be:
(a) for specified thickness less than 3 mm : + 10%;
(b) for specified thickness 3 mm and over : + 8%;
The minimum thickness in the weld area shall be not
less than that permitted in the body of the tube.
The external weld upset shall be removed completely,
i.e. flush with the outside surface of the tube.
The maximum height of the weld bead on the internal
surface of the tube shall not be greater than 60% of the
specified thickness.
If specified on the order, the internal weld upset shall
be reduced, so that the residual height shall not exceed
0.25mm.
Length
Tubes shall be supplied in one of the following ways:
(a) random lengths of 4 m to 7 m ; or
(b) mill lengths between 3 m and 12 m and subject to a
tolerance of +100
0 mm; or
(c) specified cut lengths to the tolerances given in table 3.
Dimensions of non-circular tubes
The tolerance on the outside cross-sectional dimension of
non-circular tubes shall be given in column 1 of table 2.
For square or rectangular section tubes, this dimension shall
be measured across opposite faces at a position no more
than 5 mm from the corner and at a distance not less than
50 mm from the cut end.
The maximum concave or convex deflection of a flat side
of a square or rectangular section tube shall not exceed
0.5% of the nominal length of that side.

Table 1. Tolerances on outside diameter

Outside diameter Tolerance*
1 2 3
Over Up to and KM condition GKM, GZF, NKM, NZF All conditions
including D/a < 40 condition 20<D/a<40 D/a > 40
GKM, GZF, NKM, NZF
condition D/a < 20
mm mm mm mm mm

20 +0.12 +0.18 +0.24

20 30 +0.15 +0.22 +0.30
30 50 +0.20 +0.30 +0.40
50 70 +0.25 +0.37 +0.50
70 90 +0.30 +0.45 +0.60
90 110 +0.35 +0.52 +0.70
110 130 +0.45 +0.68 +0.90
130 150 +0.55 +0.82 +1.10
150 170 +0.65 +0.97 +1.30
170 +0.75% of +1% of +1.5 % of
outside diameter outside diameter outside diameter

*Due to the release of internal stress when an as-welded tube is cut, a change in dimensions is usual. Hence this tolerance does not include ovality
within 100 mm of the tube end which is in the as-welded (KM) condition and which has a diameter to thickness ratio greater than 20:1.

( )
The mean diameter maximum + minimum diameter shall be within these tolerances
2

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BS EN ISO 9001 : 2000
 Table 3. Chemical composition and mechanical properties (see note)
Designation Chemical composition (ladle analysis) Mechanical properties
KM ‡ § GKM and GZF NKM and NZF
(as welded) (annealed) (normalized)
C Si Mn P S Re Rm A min. Re Rm A Re Rm A
max. max. max. max. max. min. min. D/a<20 D/a>20 min. min. min. min. min. min.
% % % % % N/mm2 N/mm2 % % N/mm2 N/mm2 % N/mm2 N/mm2 %

ERW 1* 0.13 _ 0.60 0.050 0.050 200 300 10 20 150 270 27 155 280 25
ERW 2* 0.16 _ 0.70 0.050 0.050 250 340 8 15 160 300 27 195 320 25
ERW 3* 0.20 0.35 0.90 0.050 0.050 300 400 7 12 170 340 26 215 360 24
ERW 4† 0.25 0.35 1.20 0.050 0.050 350 450 6 10 200 400 24 235 410 22
BS 6323 : Part 5 : 1982

ERW 5† 0.23 0.50 1.50 0.050 0.050 420 500 6 8 _ _ _ 340 490 20

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* If rimming or semi-killed steel is used for grade 1 or 2, the carbon content may be increased by 0.19%, and if used for grade 3, to 0.23%.
† Grain refining elements may be added to this grade at the option of the manufacturer.
‡ If tubes in the KM condition are subsequently welded, brazed or heated, the mechanical properties in the heat affected zones may be reduced to those given for the delivery condition of GKM or NKM.
§ For sizes larger than 274 mm outside diameter, the properties in the KM condition shall be those given for the NKM condition.
NOTE. Welding of these tubes does not require special techniques but care should be taken and welding carried out in accordance with the guidance given in the appropriate British Standard for welding,
e.g. BS 5153.
cont.

Table 3. Tolerance on specied cut length

Specified cut length Tolerance

Over Up to and
including

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mm mm mm
Part 5. Specic requirements for electric reistance welded and induction welded steel tubes

+2
500
0
500 +3
2000
0
2000 +5
5000
0
5000 +10
7000
0
Seamless and welded steel tubes for automobile, mechanical and general engineering purposes

7000 _ by agreement

BS EN ISO 9001 : 2000

NOTE. Closer tolerances may be obtained by agreement between the purchaser
and the manufacturer.